A college recruiter is a person who works for a college or university and tries to persuade prospective students to apply for admission. They go to high schools, host recruitment fairs and other events, and communicate directly with students and their parents. Typically, they work with high school students, but four-year school recruiters may also work with community college students. They compile and analyze recruitment and admissions statistics to help with effective recruiting. Recruiters for colleges are most often employed the admissions office, but they may also work for an institutional division such as arts and sciences or engineering.
Typically, a college recruiter is expected to travel extensively. A college recruiter may travel anywhere from down the road to across the country for high school visits or even visits to students’ homes. Because recruitment events are frequently held at sporting events or other activities at the college, night and weekend work is almost always required. Recruiters may attend these events in groups or individually.
Recruiters for colleges frequently collaborate with other professionals to create marketing campaigns and materials. To promote the college or university, they might collaborate with a public relations department to create press releases, brochures, pamphlets, and posters. They may collaborate with the school’s information technology or marketing departments to contribute to the website, or they may do much of the work themselves.
A college recruiter may specialize in finding students for a particular department at a college or university. For example, a school with a strong performing arts program might hire a recruiter who specializes in finding student musicians, actors, and dancers. Recruiters are frequently employed athletic departments. Although recruiting is often part of a coach’s or assistant coach’s job, large athletic programs may have recruiters dedicated to specific sports.
A typical college recruiter is a friendly individual who enjoys interacting with students and their parents. Because they must thoroughly research the high schools from which they are recruiting graduates, college recruiters usually have a research aptitude. They must be able to obtain information on the number of students graduating, test scores and overall college attendance, students from that high school who are currently enrolled at the recruiter’s college, and even the status of the basketball team’s season. This type of research is frequently carried out calling people and asking them questions. Recruiters for colleges make contacts in high schools who can assist them in identifying potential students, and they ask alumni, administrators, and faculty for assistance in recruiting.